Shotgun cleaning shell device

ABSTRACT

A Shotgun Cleaning Shell for cleaning the bore of a shotgun, wherein the shell comprises: a cylindrical shell case, a head connected to an end of the case, a seal connected to the other end of the case, a bead contained within the case, a cord wherein an end of the cord is connected to the bead, at least one cleaning member connected to the cord, a squeegee connected to the other end of the cord, a tubular member connected to the squeegee and wherein the bead is contiguous the other end of the tubular member, a propellant device attached to the head and within the tubular member, wherein, the propellant device propels the bead through a bore of a shotgun, the bead exiting the bore, and wherein a user can propel the at least one cleaning member and the squeegee along the bore of the shotgun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to a disposable cleaning device for use inshotguns which fits inside a standard shotgun shell casing that mimicstraditional cleaning methods and allows the user to simply fire the gunand slowly pull on a cord in order to clean a shotgun bore.

2. Background Art

The use of shotguns is very popular in the United States and abroad.Shotguns, however, like all other guns require regular cleaning in orderto keep the gun in the best condition possible. In fact, a shotgun mustbe cleaned after each use. One of the main areas of shotgun whichrequires regular cleaning is the bore.

Because of the inconvenience and time required to clean a shotgun, mostshotgun owners (as much as 80%) do not clean their shotguns at all.

Currently, there are several basic types of bore cleaning systems knownin the art. The first is the most commonly known and most traditionalmethod of using a cleaning “kit”. These kits consist of a long rod thatcan be assembled for running cotton wads laced with solvents or oilsdown the barrel. The user typically assembles a three part rod which, asan assembly, has one end that that looks like a large version of the“eye of a needle”. The user “threads” a thin cotton pad thru the eye anddips it in a bottle of gun bore solvents which when applied repeatedlyto the gun bore via the assembled rod acts as a to dissolve much of theresidue left in a shotgun bore from use. These solvents are almostalways distillates of petroleum based chemicals.

Next, the eye is unscrewed and a metal wire brush is attached to theassembled rod. The user then passes the brush through the bore severaltimes depending on the severity of the glazing or residue build up.

The user then usually does another solvent swipe followed by a dry wadcleaning. After that the user then reattaches the eye and pours gun oilon a threaded cotton pad and coats the bore with gun oil.

The second method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,883 issued toKyle. This patent describes a barrel or bore cleaning device which issimply a shotgun shell containing low density randomly woven resilientorganic material which is propelled along the bore when primer in theshell is detonated. The organic material scrapes the bore of the shotgunwhile it passes through the bore removing the residue in the bore.

A third method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,740 issued to J. W.Norman. This patent discloses a bore cleaning shell that uses a cleaningwad comprising two spaced apart parallel discs filled with spongy orcompressible material between them. A weight assembly comprised of twospaced apart parallel discs which are filled with rigid material betweenthem. The weight assembly is connected to coiled wire springs. When thegun is fired, the weight assembly is moved out of the barrel. Thesprings then stretch, pulling the cleaning wad through the barrel. Once,fired, the cleaning is essentially complete.

A fourth device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,047 issued to D. M.Davis which describes a shell for cleaning a shotgun. In the Davisshell, a piercing needle is used to puncture the thin wall of a seal,allowing compressed gas contained in a chamber to escape the shell andforce the contents of the shell through the shotgun barrel. A coarsescrubbing wad then cleans the debris from the barrel. A knife edge crimpslices plastic containers containing cleaning solvent and antirust whenthe shell is exploded allowing the solvent and antirust to leave theshell.

These various methods, however, tend to force the cleaning materials andsolutions through the bore so quickly that the solutions do not havetime to act on the residue in the bore. Additionally, many of theprevious methods use “gun powder” to propel the cleaning devices,thereby causing the bore to be contaminated with gun powder residuedefeating the purpose of the cleaning method. The methods also maypotentially cause injury as cleaning materials are shot out of the boreat a high rate of speed. Accordingly, what is needed are improvements ina shotgun cleaning shell which thoroughly clean the bore of a shotgunwhile eliminating a majority of the potential that injury could becaused.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention may be readily adapted to a variety of shotgunbore sizes. Embodiments of the present invention may provide, amongother benefits: a safe, quick, easy, disposable and effective way toclean a shotgun bore. It also prevents long term exposure to petroleumdistillates (gun bore cleaning solvents) and for those that aresensitive or hyper-sensitized to solvents a method for using gun boresolvents quickly with minimum exposure. This device will save the usersignificant time in cleaning and maintaining their shotgun withouthaving to sacrifice the effectiveness of cleaning the shotgun bore byhand. Also, because this device uses a very low energy propellant it ismuch safer than many of the other shotgun shell cleaning devices on themarket. Many collectors of shotguns have large inventories that must bemaintained and in high humidity climates (most of the United States)these collections need to receive frequent gun oil treatments. Thisdevice facilitates a swift method of easily treating these collectionsand inventories with moisture barrier gun oil.

In particular embodiments, a shotgun shell cleaning device configuredaccording to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise acylindrical shell case, a head connected to an end of the case, a sealconnected to an end of the case opposite the head, a bead containedwithin the case, a cord wherein an end of the cord is connected to thebead, a solvent cleaning wad connected to the cord adjacent to the bead,a bore scrubber pad connected to the cord adjacent the solvent cleaningwad, a dry wad connected to the cord adjacent the bore scrubber pad, agun oil wad connected to the cord adjacent the dry wad, a collector wadconnected to the cord adjacent the gun oil wad, a squeegee connected tothe cord adjacent the collector wad and at an opposite end of the cordfrom the bead, a tubular member, wherein the squeegee is connected to anend of the tubular member, wherein the cord is outside the tubularmember and the bead is contiguous an end of the tubular member oppositethe end connected to the squeegee, wherein the solvent cleaning wad,bore scrubber pad, dry wad, gun oil wad, and collector wad encircle thetubular member, a propellant device connected to the head and within thetubular member, wherein the propellant device propels the bead through abore of a shotgun; and wherein a user uses the cord to propel thesolvent cleaning wad, bore scrubber pad, dry wad, gun oil wad, collectorwad, squeegee and tubular member through the bore of the shotgun.

A method utilizing the shotgun cleaning shell of the present inventionmay comprise, loading a shotgun cleaning shell in a shotgun in the sameway a traditional shell is loaded into a shotgun, wherein the shotguncleaning shell contains a bead attached to a cord which is attached tocontents of the shotgun cleaning shell, firing the shotgun, wherein thebead attached to the cord is propelled through a bore of the shotgun,utilizing the bead attached to the cord to compel the contents of theshotgun cleaning shell through the bore of the shotgun, wherein thecontents are compelled at a slow and steady rate.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following moreparticular description of the invention and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with theappended drawings where like designations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a shotgun configured according to a standardconfiguration;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an open shotgun containing a shell configuredaccording to a standard configuration;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the contents of a shotgun cleaning shellconfigured according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cut away side view of a shotgun cleaning shell configuredaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to adisposable shotgun cleaning shell device. Generally, a shotgun cleaningshell device configured according to an embodiment of the presentinvention consists of a shotgun shell case which contains at least onecleaning member such as a solvent cleaning wad connected by a cord to abead. When a propellant device propels the bead out of a bore of ashotgun, the at least one cleaning member may then be pulled by the cordthrough the bore of the shotgun.

FIG. 1 depicts a standard configuration of a shotgun 8. A standardshotgun 8 consists of a stock 10 which is the part of the shotgun 8 thata user grasps to support the shotgun 8 while in use. A trigger 12 isused to fire a shotgun 8 shell. A blast from a shell and shot traveldown the inside of the shotgun's 8 barrel 4 along a bore 6. A spentshell is ejected from an ejection port 14 typically located in a side ofthe shotgun 8.

FIG. 2 depicts a standard configuration of a shotgun in an openposition, which depicts a shotgun cleaning shell 16 located in positionto be fired in the shotgun.

FIG. 4 illustrates a shotgun cleaning shell 16 configured according toan embodiment of the present invention. A shotgun cleaning shell 16allows a user to clean the bore of a shotgun by simply firing theshotgun with the shell 16 in the gun.

In the present invention, the shotgun cleaning shell 16 comprises a case38 which contains at least one cleaning member. The case 38 should beformed in the shape of a standard shotgun shell in order to assure thatthe shotgun cleaning shell 16 will function correctly when the shotgunis fired. Typically, the case 38 will be a hollow cylinder with openends. The case 38 may be formed from any material which can withstandthe energy to be applied to it. The case 38 may simply be a typicalshotgun cartridge. It may also be desirable to form the case 38 from atransparent material, in order to allow the user to see what iscontained within the case 38 so that the shell 16 is not mistaken forammunition.

One end of the case 38 is attached to a head 40. The head 40 may beformed from high brass or low brass, which are the standards in theshotgun shell industry. The head 40 may also be formed from any othermetallic or non-metallic material which can perform its function whilewithstanding the blast from shooting the shell 16. Because the shell 16in this invention requires very little energy, it is even possible tofrom the head 40 from a plastic material. The head 40 closes one end ofthe case 38 while providing an opening for a propellant device 42. Thehead 40 is exposed to a majority of the energy from firing the shell 16.

The opposite end of the case 38 is closed by a seal 20 which is a rounddisc-like member that is inserted into the case 38. Traditional shotgunshell cartridges are “crimped” closed or folded in leaving their lengthat approximately 2″. However, the cartridge length prior to “crimping”is approximately 2¾ of an inch, which is the maximum length that almostall shotguns will facilitate. The extra ¾ of an inch may be utilized inthis invention in order to provide more room to fit the at least onecleaning member in the shell. The seal 20 is used to close the end ofthe case 38 and the edges of the case are “rolled-over” in order toconnect the case 38 and the seal 20. This sealing method only usesapproximately ⅛″ of the total length of the cartridge.

The seal 20 may be formed from the same material as the case 38 or itmay be formed from any material that is strong enough to contain theshell 16 while not in use, however, is weak enough to break when theshell 16 is fired. It may also be desirable to form the seal 20 fromtransparent material in order to allow the user to view the contents ofthe case 38.

The case 38 of the shell 16 contains at least one cleaning member whichoperates to clean the bore when the shell 16 is fired. FIG. 3illustrates the contents of the shell 16 case 38 and how they areconnected in one embodiment of the present invention.

The contents of the shell are connected by a cord 22. One end of thiscord 22 is connected to a bead 18. The bead 18 is propelled through theseal when the shell is fired. The bead 18 is preferably a glass orhematite bead with a hole thru the middle to allow the cord 22 to beattached to the bead 18. The cord 22 may be attached to the bead 18 bythreading the cord 22 through the bead 18 and tying at least one knot.The cord 22 may be further secured by gluing it to the bead 18 with acompound such as super glue. The bead 18 may be formed from any materialwhich can withstand the heat from firing the shell and the impact ofbreaking the seal. The bead 18 is preferably formed from glass, hematiteor ceramics. Some plastics may also be used to form the bead 18,however, these tend to be cost prohibitive. Additionally, the shellcontains chemical solvents that could react to softer plastics. The bead18 may be of any size or shape that can be propelled through the seal.

The bead 18 is connected to the cord 22. The cord 22 may be formed fromany material that can withstand the heat from the shell being fired 18,while having enough strength to allow the user to pull the contents ofthe shell through the bore of the shotgun. The cord 22 may be formedfrom several types and tensile strengths of cord woven together in orderto form a cord 22 with the preferred characteristics. Preferredmaterials may include combinations of cotton and nylon blends. Thesecombinations tend to create cord 22 with the appropriate heat resistanceand tensile strength. If a cord 22 is used that is not heat resistant,the initial blast of the shell being fired will compromise the strengthand the unit will fail. Additionally, it may be desirable to coat thecord 22 with gun oil to further protect the integrity.

In embodiments of the present invention, a solvent cleaning wad 24 isattached to the cord 22 adjacent to the bead 18. The solvent cleaningwad 24 may be formed from any material which will absorb and hold borecleaning solvent. Possible embodiments of the solvent cleaning wad 24may include raw cotton that is permeated with bore cleaning solvent. Rawcotton is used because of the additional scrubbing effect of the crushedcotton seeds still in the cotton. Other materials may be used though rawcotton was found to be effective because of cost, availability,absorption and strength.

The size of the solvent cleaning wad 24 is important because if thesolvent cleaning wad 24 is not big enough, not enough pressure will beexerted onto the inside diameter of the bore. Each gauge of shotgunrequires the correct sizing of the cleaning unit in its entirety.Therefore, if the solvent cleaning wad 24 is too small, it will not becleaning effectively. If the solvent cleaning wad 24 is too big, it willnot release from the case and may cause the cord 22 to break because theresistance will be too great. The most effective size of the solventcleaning wad 24 to work properly inside the case, releasing from thecase and cleaning effectively is 30% larger than the outside perimeterof the case 38, plus or minus 10%.

An effective embodiment of a solvent cleaning wad 24 design is made upof 4 to 5 strands of raw cotton approximately ¼″ (for typical 12 gaugecleaning unit). These strands are held together by a thread mesh made oflight weight cotton. This threaded mesh holds the raw cotton togetherand helps to prevent cotton fibers from escaping the solvent cleaningwad 24 and becoming residue in the bore. These multi-strand lengths ofraw cotton are then cut at approximately 1.3″ lengths and connected suchas with a surgeons slip knot.

The solvent cleaning wad 24 may be secured to a tubular member 34 andthe cord 22 with a surgeons knot which tightens around the solventcleaning wad 24 as it is pulled from the shell. The knot is slightlyloose when manufactured. This slightly loose knot allows the solventcleaning wad 24 to be pulled out of the case, releasing from the tube34, the knot then tightens as the solvent cleaning wad 24 is pulledthrough the bore of the shotgun. Additionally, the knot tightens overthe solvent cleaning wad 24 causing the cotton strands in the solventcleaning wad 24 to expand and become a super absorbent collector ofresidue. This squeezing action, also, causes the cleaning solvents to bepushed out to the edges of the solvent cleaning wad 24 maximizing theamount of solvents applied to the bore of the shotgun.

A bore scrubber pad 26 is connected to the cord 22 adjacent the solventcleaning wad 24. Ideally, the bore scrubber pad 26 is connected to thecord 22 approximately 2 inches from the solvent cleaning wad 24. Thisunit may be made of any dense, strong, hard material that scrubs thebore and removes glazing, plastic and gun powder residue from the boreby using significant pressure and rough edged strands of the borescrubber pad to scrape away residue already partly dissolved by theprevious solvent cleaning wad 24. One possible material for forming thebore scrubber pad 26 is dense, strong and very hard carbon lacedpolymers.

The bore scrubber pad 26 may be approximately 25% larger in diameterthan the outside perimeter of the case 38. Because the bore scrubber pad26 may be made with dense particles of cross-linking polymers it hasspace between the strands and compresses well into the shotgun case.However it expands to its original size when pulled from the case withthe cord 22. The bore scrubber pad 26 is preferably ¼″ thick. Thisallows for larger cleaning surface inside the bore while allowing it tobe compressed in the case.

A dry wad 28 is attached to the cord 22 adjacent the bore scrubber pad26. The dry wad 28 may be formed from raw cotton with a surgeons knot asthe solvent cleaning wad 24 is. The dry wad 28 is dry and collectsparticles and solvent from the bore. It is also directly behind the borescrubber pad 26, which pushes on the bore scrubber pad 26 forcing it tobe flat against the bore thereby maximizing its scrubbing surface. Bybeing directly behind the bore scrubber pad 26, the dry wad 28 collectsthe solvent and residue lifted by the solvent and the bore scrubber pad26.

A gun oil wad 30 is attached to the cord 22 adjacent the dry wad 28. Thegun oil wad 30 may be formed from raw cotton with surgeons knots just asthe solvent cleaning wad 24 is. The gun oil wad 30 is also laced withgun oil that protects and preserves the metal in the bore of theshotgun. The gun oil wad 30 is ideally approximately 2 inches away fromthe dry cotton wad 28. Just as in the solvent cleaning wad 24, themulti-strand design forces the gun oil to the edges of the gun oil wad30 so it can be applied to the bore.

Adjacent the gun oil wad 30 a collector swab 32 is attached to the cord22. The collector swab 32 may be formed from any material that collectsthe remaining residue and smoothes the oil film on the bore. Anembodiment of a collector swab 32 is made of high density resilient andchemical resistant foam polymer. It is 200% larger than the outsideperimeter of the case 38. The collector swab 32 is approximately 2inches from the gun oil wad along the cord 22. The collector swab 32smoothes out the oil film throughout the circumference of the bore andwith the immense pressure of the oversized pad, the oil is forced outthrough thousands of capillaries in the pad.

The end of the cord 22 opposite the bead 18 is attached to a squeegee36. The squeegee 36 evenly distributes the gun oil on the metal andforces excess oil onto the collector swab 32. The squeegee 36 may bemade of dense synthetic rubber and is approximately 2% larger than theoutside perimeter of the case 38.

A tubular member 34 is attached to the squeegee 36. The cord 22 does nottravel through the tubular member 34 however the cord 22 is attached tothe tubular member 34 at the approximate location of the connectionbetween the tubular member 34 and the squeegee 36. The bead 18 iscongruent to the tubular member 34 at the end opposite the squeegee 36.The solvent swab 24, bore scrubber pad 26, dry swab 28, gun oil swab 30,and collector swab 32 are all packed into the case surrounding thetubular member 34 with the bead 18 sitting on the tubular member aboveall of the swabs. The tubular member 34 also contains the blast from apropellant device 42 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The propellant device 42 may be a standard shotgun primer, springs,compressed air or any other device which could be used to propel thebead 18 and the cord 22 through the bore of the shotgun. The propellantdevice 42 is inserted into the head 40, enters through the squeegee 36,as illustrated in FIG. 3, and then into the tubular member 34.

When the shell is fired the propellant device 42 sends a blast or aforce through the tubular member 34, as shown in FIG. 3. The blasttravels through the tubular member 34 forcing the bead 18 and theattached cord 22 through the bore of the shotgun, which prevents the atleast one cleaning member from being effected by any gun powder residuefrom the propellant device 42. The user then slowly pulls the cord 22through the bore pulling the attached swabs through the bore followed bythe squeegee 36.

In using the shell, the user places the shell in the shotgun just asthey would put a regular shell in the shotgun. The user then fires theshotgun cleaning shell which fires the propellant device forcing thebead through the seal and out the bore. The user then slowly pulls thecord attached to the bead compelling the various cleaning swabs throughthe bore followed by the squeegee which is the final stage in thecleaning process. A pulling aid such as a small bamboo stick may beincluded with the shotgun cleaning shell which allows the user to wrapthe cord around the pulling aid allowing the user to pull on the cordmore easily. The tubular member is attached to the squeegee and cord,and therefore is also pulled through the bore.

In other embodiments of the present invention, different combinationsand variations of cleaning members may be attached to the cord. Forinstance, the dry swab may be replaced with a second solvent cleaningswab or the dry swab may even be left off completely. It is alsopossible that the tubular member may have bristles and may act as abrush to scrub the bore as the tubular member is removed from the bore.Any variation of cleaning members desirable may be connected to the cordprovided it can all be packed into the shell case.

Alternate embodiments of the present invention may be designed for thedifferent gauges of different shotguns. The sizes and shapes of thecleaning members and the location of these members on the cord may bealtered in order to optimize the cleaning ability in smaller or largershotgun bores. Therefore, dimensions given in this specification areonly exemplary and are not meant to be limiting.

Accordingly, for the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, thecomponents defining any embodiment of the invention may be formed as onepiece if it is possible for the components to still serve theirfunction. The components may also be composed of any of many differenttypes of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formedinto shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistentwith the intended mechanical operation of the invention. For example,the components may be formed of rubbers (synthetic and/or natural),glasses, composites such as fiberglass, carbon-fiber and/or other likematerials, polymers such as plastic, polycarbonate, PVC plastic, ABSplastic, polystyrene, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, phenolic, anycombination thereof, and/or other like materials, metals, such as zinc,magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, stainless steel, anycombination thereof, and/or other like materials, alloys, such asaluminum, and/or other like materials, any other suitable material,and/or any combination thereof.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order tobest explain the present invention and its practical applications and tothereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use theinvention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognizethat the foregoing description and examples have been presented for thepurposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forthis not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possiblein light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit andscope of the forthcoming claims. Accordingly, any components of thepresent invention indicated in the drawings or herein are given as anexample of possible components and not as a limitation.

1. A Shotgun Cleaning Shell for cleaning the bore of a shotgun, whereinthe shell comprises: a cylindrical shell case; a head connected to anend of the case; a seal connected to an end of the case opposite thehead; a bead contained within the case; a cord wherein an end of thecord is connected to the bead; at least one cleaning member connected tothe cord; a squeegee connected to an end of the cord opposite the endconnected to the bead; a tubular member wherein an end of the tubularmember is connected to the squeegee and the cord is outside of thetubular member and wherein the bead is contiguous the end of the tubularmember opposite the end of the tubular member connected to the squeegee;a propellant device attached to the head and within the tubular member;wherein, the propellant device propels the bead through a bore of ashotgun, the bead exiting the bore; and wherein a user can draw the atleast one cleaning member and the squeegee through the bore of theshotgun.
 2. The shell of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at leastone cleaning members is a solvent cleaning wad.
 3. The shell of claim 1,wherein at least one of the at least one cleaning members is a borescrubber pad.
 4. The shell of claim 1, wherein at least one of the atleast one cleaning members is a gun oil wad or a dry wad.
 5. The shellof claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one cleaning members isa collector wad.
 6. The shell of claim 1, wherein the propellant devicefurther comprises a shotgun shell primer.
 7. The shell of claim 1,wherein the propellant device further comprises a spring.
 8. A ShotgunCleaning Shell for cleaning the bore of a shotgun, wherein the shellcomprises: a cylindrical shell case; a head connected to an end of thecase; a seal connected to an end of the case opposite the head; a beadcontained within the case; a cord wherein an end of the cord isconnected to the bead; a solvent cleaning wad connected to the cordadjacent to the bead; a bore scrubber pad connected to the cord adjacentthe solvent cleaning wad; a dry wad connected to the cord adjacent thebore scrubber pad; a gun oil wad connected to the cord adjacent the drywad; a collector wad connected to the cord adjacent the gun oil wad; asqueegee connected to the cord adjacent the collector wad and at anopposite end of the cord from the bead; a tubular member, wherein thesqueegee is connected to an end of the tubular member, wherein the cordis outside the tubular member and the bead is contiguous an end of thetubular member opposite the end connected to the squeegee; wherein thesolvent cleaning wad, bore scrubber pad, dry wad, gun oil wad, andcollector wad encircle the tubular member; a propellant device connectedto the head and within the tubular member; wherein the propellant devicepropels the bead through a bore of a shotgun; and wherein a user usesthe cord to draw the solvent cleaning wad, bore scrubber pad, dry wad,gun oil wad, collector wad, squeegee and tubular member through the boreof the shotgun.
 9. The shell of claim 8, wherein the propellant devicecomprises a shotgun shell primer.
 10. The shell of claim 8, wherein thepropellant device comprises a spring.
 11. The shell of claim 8, whereinthe bore scrubber pad is attached to the cord approximately two inchesfrom the solvent cleaning wad.
 12. The shell of claim 8, wherein the drywad is attached to the cord approximately two inches from the borescrubber pad.
 13. The shell of claim 8, wherein the gun oil wad isattached to the cord approximately two inches from the dry wad.
 14. Theshell of claim 8, wherein the collector wad is attached to the cordapproximately two inches from the gun oil wad.
 15. The shell of claim 8,wherein the squeegee is approximately 2% to 5% larger than the outsideperimeter of the case.